Facebook Puts Bullies and Harassment in the Forefront of Social Media

Facebook is unveiling a new set of tools launched to squash bullies from having free reign across the social space.

In 2008, the Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre discovered nearly 30.2 percent of students reported they had been bullied within previous months. Moreover, 24.9 percent of students stated they had taken part in bullying others at school (Anti-Bullying Centre, 2008).

With the vast amount of data pushed through Facebook.com each day, monitoring harassment and demeaning behavior rests squarely on our shoulders. Facebook’s new features allow users to report such behavior through several new options; Facebook says the intention is to create a “culture of respect” and a stronger sense of community.

Facebook also revised the Terms of Service (TOS) to make it against the rules to bully, demean, or harass any other user.

Among the anti-bully suite will have several new features:

Reach out to the user who tagged you in a photo – the tool facilitates a post or image removal request.

A de-friend action.

A block user action. With this option there is the ability to report this to a friend for support.

The goal of these tools is to arm the person being bullied into a position of empowerment, safety, and well being. Facebook states the majority of the time hurtful posts and images are unintentional, and the new tools will make it much easier to send a removal request and a personal message.